New England Fall Events celebrates the unique fall culture, seasonal activities, orchard events, outdoor fun, family farms, local food, and harvest festivals that make our region a special place to live and play.
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Friday, September 19, 2014

Expert Tip # 4 Seek Out a Peaceful Apple Orchard in New England

Expert Tip #4: Seeking Peace and Quiet at the Apple Orchard

Few things are lovelier than meandering through a row of fat, juicy honey crisps on a perfect late-September day.

For a peaceful apple picking experience, stick to the low-profile orchards—the ones that advertise apples and only apples. Often these farms are so low key they don’t even have a website and you might only hear about them through word of mouth.

One of our favorite apples-only orchards is Highland Farm in Holliston, MA. We always find the apples are plentiful with lots of fruit still on low branches. We have great fondness for the extended-day apple picking adventure but there are times when you simply want to stock up on fresh apples or don't have an afternoon to give.

Tips for Avoiding Over-Stimulation while Apple Picking with Young Children and Toddlers

Apples-only orchards may have plenty
of fruit at child-height for easy picking

Low key orchards may fit the bill for your little ones. Apple picking is a great excuse to carry your toddler in your Ergo or Boba carrier and, when everyone has had their fill, it’s easy to wrap up and head to the car. A low-key orchard will offer a swifter picking experience which might be ideal for a young child's first time or when they're still at an age with a shorter attention span.

Another benefit we've noticed is that the straightforward apple orchards also tend to have more apples left on the lower branches--an important feature if your child wants to pick their own fruit.

The busier, activity-filled orchards can get a bit picked over, especially on the weekends. There may be still be fruit for picking but what is available may be far above the heads of your tykes. Save your back and the heavy-lifting by finding an orchard with plenty of low-hanging fruit.

Though a tractor hayride to an outer orchard certainly is memorable (as the larger operations often have) it is not convenient at all if your own little pumpkin is starting to tucker out quickly and you need to hit the road but you're too far to walk back to your car on your own.